Sen. Eric Lucero

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits Minnesota's Department of Transportation from reducing travel lanes or building boulevards or land bridges on the marked Interstate Highway 94 corridor between Minneapolis and St. Paul. It bars the transportation commissioner from studying, proposing, or funding any boulevard or land bridge design for this highway segment, with exceptions only for routine maintenance, resurfacing, or emergency repairs. The law directly affects state transportation planning for this specific highway corridor and prevents design changes that could alter traffic flow or infrastructure. It amends Minnesota Statutes to enforce these restrictions as a permanent policy.

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits state funding for the proposed Northern Lights Express high-speed rail project between Minneapolis and Duluth. It bans the Commissioner of Transportation and the Metropolitan Council from spending any state or federal money on studying, planning, engineering, or constructing this project. The law directly affects state agencies responsible for transportation funding and project development, preventing them from advancing the rail initiative using public funds. The prohibition applies to all project phases and includes any federal funds that might support the effort.

Maddy summarySF 231 prohibits using dedicated transportation funds - specifically the highway user tax distribution fund and trunk highway fund - for arts or cultural strategies in transportation project planning, design, or construction. The bill amends Minnesota Statutes by adding a new restriction (item 18) to existing prohibitions on fund usage. This directly affects state transportation projects funded through these dedicated sources, banning expenses like public art installations, cultural-themed designs, or cultural programming within such projects. The policy change ensures these specific funds are restricted to core transportation infrastructure needs, not artistic or cultural elements.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires sellers in Minnesota to accept United States currency, including Federal Reserve notes, as payment for goods and services. The rule applies to in-person transactions at locations where the seller takes cash, with specific exceptions for banks, credit unions, and certain security deposit scenarios. While businesses with multiple sales points must accept cash at at least one location, they are exempt from the requirement if they only use cash-to-card conversion devices that charge no fees, require no large deposits, provide receipts, and do not limit card usage. Violations of this requirement could result in a civil penalty of up to $250 for each transaction or attempted transaction.

Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the state to issue up to $5 million in bonds to fund a new fire and emergency services facility in the city of Otsego. The appropriated funds will be used to build a central hub and training center for career, volunteer, and aspiring professionals in fire, emergency services, law enforcement, and emergency management. The state commissioner of management and budget is tasked with selling the bonds and distributing the money to the city of Otsego through the commissioner of public safety. The legislation takes effect immediately upon final passage by the legislature.